Religion in Trinidad and Tobago

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Trinidad and Tobago is a multi-religious nation. The largest religious groups are the Protestant Christians (including Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodist, Evangelicals, Pentecostals and Baptist), Roman Catholic Christians, Hindus, and Muslims. Two Afro-Caribbean syncretic faiths, the Shouter or Spiritual Baptists and the Orisha faith (formerly called Shangos, a less than complimentary term) are among the fastest growing religious groups. The fastest growing groups are a host of American-style Evangelical and Fundamentalist churches usually grouped as "Pentecostal" by most Trinidadians (although this designation is often inaccurate). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (known as "Mormons") has also expanded its presence in the country since the late 1970s.^[1]

According to the 2011 Census, 33.4% of the population was Protestant (including 12.0% Pentecostal, 5.7% Anglican, 4.1% Seventh-day Adventist, 3.0% Presbyterian or Congregational, 1.2% Baptist, and 0.1% Methodist), 21.5% was Roman Catholic, 18.1% was Hindu, and 5% was Muslim. A small number of individuals subscribed to traditional Caribbean religions with African roots, such as the Spiritual Baptists (sometimes called Shouter Baptists) (5.7%); and the Orisha (0.1%). The smaller groups were Jehovah's Witnesses (1.5%) and unaffiliated (2.2%). There is also a small Buddhist community on the island.^[2]

Afro-Caribbean syncretic groups

• Spiritual Baptist
  • National Evangelical Spiritual Baptist
  • West Indies Spiritual Sacred Order
  • Royal Priesthood Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of Trinidad and Tobago and the Western Hemisphere (under the Leadership of the Archbishop & Founder Addelon Braveboy, the Episkopos Bishop of all the Churches of the Royal Priesthood)
  • King of Kings Spiritual Baptist, Faith Ministries International Church of the Royal Priesthood
  • Solomon Healing Temple, Church of the Royal Priesthood.
  • St Francis Divine Healing Temple, Church of the Royal Priesthood
  • St Philomena Mystical Court, Church of the Royal Priesthood
• Santería
• Orisha also known as Shango or Ifá
  • Ojubo Orisa Omolu - Ose'tura Ifa Temple of Light.
• Rastafari

Baha'i Faith

The Bahá'í Faith in Trinidad and Tobago begins with a mention by `Abdu'l-Bahá, then head of the religion, in 1916 as the Caribbean was among the places Bahá'ís should take the religion to.^[3] The first Bahá'í to visit came in 1927^[4] while pioneers arrived by 1956^[5] and the first Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1957^[6] In 1971 the first Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly was elected.^[7] A count of the community then noted 27 assemblies with Bahá'ís living in 77 locations.^[8] Since then Bahá'ís have participated in several projects for the benefit of the wider community and in 2005/10 various sources report near 1.2% of the country,^[9] about 10^[10]–16,000^[11] citizens, are Bahá'ís.

Hindu groups

The Hanuman Temple at Carapichaima, near Chaguanas.

• Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha
• SWAHA
• Arya Samaj
• Brahmo Samaj
• Chinmaya Mission
• Divine Life Society
• International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Islamic groups

A Mosque in Montrose, Chaguanas.

• Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association
• Trinidad Muslim League
• Tackveeyatul Islamic Association
• Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at Islam Trinidad and Tobago Inc.
• Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Tobago Muslim Association
• Dar ul Uloom

Jewish groups

Jewish settlement in Trinidad and Tobago dates back to the 17th century when a number of Jewish merchants from Suriname settled in the 1660s, when the island was still under Spanish control. By the 1790s, when it passed into British hands, the community had disappeared from record.^[12]

In the 19th century a small number of Sephardi Jewish families from Curaçao settled in Trinidad but left no trace of an organised community.^[13] In the late 1930s an estimated six hundred East European Jews settled in Trinidad, mainly Port of Spain, escaping the growth of Nazism in the region. The settlers established synagogues in rented houses in the capital and consecrated a Jewish cemetery. After World War Two the majority of Trinidadian Jews migrated to the United States and Canada. In 2007 an estimated 55 Jews lived in Trinidad and Tobago.^[14]

Seventh-day Adventists

The Caribbean Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church recognizes 620 churches holding a membership of 236, 257 Adventists in Trinidad and Tobago, as of October 3, 2016.^[15] Because Seventh-day Adventists consider spiritual well-being to be holistic, there are notable contributions to the healthcare system, such as the Community Hospital of Seventh-day Adventists in Port of Spain, Trinidad.^[16] The University of the Southern Caribbean (formerly Caribbean Union College) is a Seventh-day Adventist educational facility providing Christian education to undergraduate and graduate students on the island of Trinidad.^[17]

Government subventions

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago provides substantial subventions to religious groups. In 2003 the government provided TT$ 420,750 to religious groups.

References